Privacy and data security
Everyone should be conscious about privacy and data security. Our phones are full of data about us, which can be collected by commercial enterprises in order to send us targeted advertising, or otherwise influence us in a direction we would not otherwise take. In the worst case, the information can be used as a pawn in ID theft or to gain access to systems or data that outsiders should not have access to.
When you install apps on a mobile or tablet, you usually get a number of questions on the screen that you have to answer. Often they ask to access your photos, address lists or location. Must the apps have these accesses, what are they used for, and do you really want an app on your phone that always tracks where you are?
See the UiO guidelines for TikTok and Telegram (Norwegian only).
I want to be a safe user. What can I do?
Do you really need the app?
First of all, you should think about whether you actually need the app you are thinking of installing. The more apps you install, the greater the chance that some of them store more about you than you really want. You should also not have your phone full of old apps, because apps that are no longer updated can be a security risk.
Read about the app
Before you install an app on your phone or tablet, you should investigate what data the app wants to process. Review the privacy statement and other information that is included in the App Store (Apple) or Play Store / Play Store (Andriod). Read this before you press Install. Again, be critical. Do you need the app? Do you want to give the app access to what it wants?
Pay attention during installation
When you install the app, you will be asked what it wants to access. Here again, you should be a bit critical, and think, for example, "the way I'm going to use the app, does it really need my contacts and my location?". If you answer no to one or more of the questions that pop up, such as whether the app should access your photos, you can easily open it up later if you find that you actually need it.
During use
As you use the app's functions, you may also receive such access questions. If you are going to post a photo in an app for the first time, you will be asked to allow the app access to, for example, your photos, or the phone's camera. Be sure to read the access questions and decline where you think the app is asking too much. you can always open it up for access later if you change your mind.
General rules
- Exercise healthy skepticism when installing new apps.
- Be careful not to click on pop-up messages or links in text messages, e-mail messages and in social media.
- Only install apps from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
- Do not jailbreak or modify the mobile phone in any other way.
- Keep your mobile phone updated to the latest version of the operating system, which always has the latest security settings.